Outdoor lighting luminaire



Jan. 31, 1961 w. B. ELMER OUTDOOR LIGHTING LUMINAIRE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 11, 1958 Jan. 31, 1961 w. B. ELMER OUTDOOR LIGHTING LUMINAIRE2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1958 United StatesPatent O OUTDOORLIGHTING LUMINAIRE William B. Elmer, Wheeler Reflector C0., 275 CongressSt., Boston, Mass.

Filed June 11, 1958, Ser. No. 741,388

4 Claims. (Cl. 250-239) 'This invention relates to an outdoor luminaireand especially to a luminaire of this type which is carried on the endof a supporting arm extending laterally from a pole or other support.

Many such luminaires require the use of some form of control device bywhich the operation of the luminaire is automatically controlled.

One object of the invention is to provide an arm extension element whichcan be mounted on the end of luminaire supporting arm and which isconstructed to provide a support for such control devices, and also toprovide a support for the luminaire.

In the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, the arm extensionelement is constructed to provide a support for a light sensitivephotoelectric control device which operates automatically to energizethe light source of the luminaire whenever the daylight illumination inthe vicinity of the luminaire falls below a predetermined point, andwhich also operates automatically to deenergize the said light sourcewhen such daylight illumination rises above a predetermined point. Saidarm extension element, however, is adapted to support other types ofcontrol devices or some auxiliary device which is required in connectionwith operation of the luminaire.

Control devices of the type above referred to are now in common use, andinclude a switch element for opening mination in the vicinity of theluminaire rises above some predetermined point.

These control devices have sometimes been mounted on the electric lightpole which carries the luminaire to be controlled, and sometimes theyare mounted directly on the luminaire body. In the latter case themounting of the control device directly on the luminaire involves thematter of providing a special design for the luminaire body.Furthermore, control devices of the above type usually operate moresatisfactorily or are more conveniently maintained if they are placedrelatively close to the luminaire. Many of such devices must be sooriented that the light sensitive element thereof faces approximatelynorth.

As stated above, it is one of the objects of the present invention toprovide a novel support for the light sensitive control device such asabove described, or some other control device, in close proximity to theluminaire, but without the necessity of providing the luminaire with aspecially designed body to receive the control device which support hasprovision for mounting the luminaire thereon.

N This object is accomplished by providing a supporting element for thecontrol device which can be attached to the end of theluminaire-supporting arm extending from the light pole, such supportingelement being provided with means on which the luminaire can be mounted.In such installation the control element will be located between the endof the light-supporting arm and the luminaire and the latter will besupported directly by said supporting element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means by which thecontrol device can be easily orientated after it has been installed onthe luminaire-supporting arm, if such orientation is required, in orderto move it into position in which it will be most efiective.

In the drawings wherein I have illustrated an embodiment of theinvention:

Fig. 1 is a view showing part of a luminaire-supporting pole with itslaterally extending luminaire-supporting arm, and also illustrating thecontrol-supporting element and the luminaire mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section showing the supporting element forthe control device and the control device mounted thereon;

Fig. 3 is a view of a split locking ring used in mounting the controldevice on its supporting element;

Fig. 3a is an edge view of the locking ring;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the controldevice and a portion of the supporting element on which it is mounted;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66, Fig. 7; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77, Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 shows the plug element supporting means for the control device;

Fig. 9 is a view of the receptacle member which coopcrates with the plugelement.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the receptacle member;

Fig. 11 is a wiring circuit.

In Fig. 1, l designates a portion of a luminaire-supporting pole whichcarries the usual laterally extending luminaire-supporting arm 2; and 3indicates a luminaire which is mounted on said arm.

In the present invention the control device above referred to, which isshown generally at 301 in Fig. 2,is| mounted on a supporting element 4which is separate from both the luminaire-supporting arm 2 and theluminaire 3 and which constitutes, in effect, a detachable extension ofsaid luminaire-supporting arm 2 and will be referred to as an armextension element. This arm extension element 4 is formed with a bodyportion 5 having an interior chamber 6, and it also is provided with alaterally extending socket extension 7 adapted to be detachably mountedon the end 8 of the luminaire-supporting arm 2. This socket extension isformed at its outer end with an interior annular bead 9 which fitsaround the arm end 8, and it is also provided with an adjusting screw 10adapted to engage the top of the arm end 8 and a clamping member 11which engages the bottom of said arm end. Said clamping member isprovided with two clamping screws 12 by which the clamping member can befirmly clamped against the bottom of the arm end 8.

The body 5 of the arm extension element 4 is provided on its sideopposite to that having the socket extension 7 with a laterallyprojecting tubular arm 13 which is of the same size and dimension as thearm end 8 and which simulates said arm end. The luminaire 3 is providedwith the usual laterally extending tubular support member 14 by which itcould be mounted on the end 8 of a luminaire-supporting arm 2, and bywhich it is shown in the drawings as being mounted on the simulatedprojecting arm 13 of the arm extension element. This support member 14of the luminaire is provided with the adjusting screw 16 and with theclamping element 17 for clamping the luminaire firmly to the projectingarm 13. With the above construction, the arm extension element 4 isEletachably mounted on and supported by the luminaire supporting arm 2and the luminaire itself is detachably mounted on and supported by thearm extension element. It will be noted that the clamping member 11 ofthe socket extension 7 and the adjusting screw 10 are offset from eachother in the lengthwise direction of the arm 2, thereby making itpossible by proper adjustment of the adjusting screw and clampingelement to level up the arm extension element 4. The same is true of theadjusting screw 16 and clamping member 11 on the tubular support member14 of the luminaire 3. v

The body of the arm extension element 4 is made with an opening in itsbottom which can be closed by the plate 18 which carries a terminalblock 48 having a plurality of terminal elements 19. These terminalelements provide means for connecting the incoming wires 20 of the powercircuit to the wires 21 leading to the lamp of the luminaire through thecontrol device as shown in the wiring diagram Fig. 11 in which 40indicates the switch for opening and closing the circuit 21 whichsupplies current to the light source 41 and 42 is the light sensitivecontrol element. So long as the daylight illumination in the vicinity ofthe luminaire is above a predetermined point, the control element willmaintain the switch in open position and no current will flow to thelight source 41. However, when the daylight illumination falls below apredetermined point, the light sensitive control element operates toclose the switch 41 and there by close the circuit 21 which suppliescurrent to the light source. It will be noted that one of the wires ofcircuit 21 is connected to the terminal 19a which is connected to theswitch 46 by wire connection 43, said switch being also connected bywire 44 to the terminal 19b to which the other wire of circuit 21 isconnected.

Inasmuch 'as the light sensitive control device itself is an article ofcommerce which is now incommon use, it is not deemed necessary toillustrate it in detail. Elements of the control device, which include alight sensitive tube, a

are mounted on a plate 22 carried by a yoke 23. The side portions 24 ofthe yoke are connected to a bottom portion 25 which carries a plugelement 62 to which the elements of the control device 30 areelectrically connected. The plug element 62 is provided with contactarms 63 adapted to bet removably plugged into socket openings in areceptacle element 26. Said receptacle ele ment 26 is mounted in acup-shaped support 33, the cylindrical wall of which has two oppositelydisposed slots 34 through which the end portions of the bottom 25 of theyoke extend. The bottom 47 of the cup-shaped support 33 has an opening35 through which the receptacle element 26 extends and said bottom 47rests on a stationary supporting plate 27 which is located within thechamber 6 of the body portion 5 and is secured to and supported by aninwardly directed 'flange 31 with which said body portion is provided.Said plate 27 also has an opening 46 through which the receptacleelement 26 extends. The yoke 23 and the receptacle element 26 aredetachably and adjustably secured to the plate 27 by means of asplitbowed locking ring 55, the inner edge of which is received in agroove 36 formed in the receptacle member 26 and located immediatelybeneath the plate 27. The split ring 25 is preferably of the well knownbowed circular spring type; that is, it is bent or bowed in its plane asshown in Fig. 311. it is also provided in each of its ends -with anopening or socket 37 to receive a tool by which it can be spreadsomewhat.

In assembling the control device with supporting element 4, said controldevice is placed in position with the bottom 47 of the cup-shapedsupport 33 resting on the plate '27 and with the receptacle element 26extending through the opening in the plate 27 as shown in Fig. 6. Whenthe parts are in this position the groove 36 in the receptacle memberwill be just below the bottom of the plate 27. The bowed split ring 55isthen sprung flat and 4 opened or spread sufiic'i'ently so that it can beplaced in the groove 36. The radial resiliency of the locking ring willcause it to hug the receptacle member, and the bowed shape shown in Fig.3a will apply an upward pressure on the plate 27 and a downward pressureon the bottom 47 of the cup-shaped support 33 which holds them infrictional contact, while permitting the control device and thecup-shaped element 33 to be turned about a vertical axis relative totheplate 27. The frictional contact between the plate 27 and bottoin 47or the member 33 is sufiicient to hold the control device in anyadjusted position.

Stop means are provided to limit the rotation of the cup member relativeto the supporting plate, and as herein illustrated, the supporting platehas a portion 38 struck up therefrom and the wall of the cup member 33has another portion 39 struck out therefrom, said portions 38 and 39being of such length as to prevent complete rotation of the cup element33. The said stop elements 38, 39, however, will permit a rotation ofthe cup element through nearly 360".

When the control device has been installed in the arm extension element4 as above described and said element has been mounted on theluminaire-supporting arm 2, and the luminaire 3 has been mounted on thearm 13 of the arm extension element, then the control device may beoriented by turning the yoke 23 and the cup element 33 about a verticalaxis until the light sensitive element of the control device has beenbrought into a position in which it functions most efficiently, as shownby dotted lines, Fig. 7. The control device is so mounted in the armextension or supporting element 4 that the plate22 and the parts of thecontrol device mounted thereon are located above the top edge 59 of thebody 5 'so that the light sensitive element is freely exposed to thedaylight -illumination. The control device which is exposed above thebody Sis enclosed in a transparent cover 40 which is mounted on the topof the body 5 and may be held in position by clamping devices '41 of thetype which can be released from their clamping position by the operationof a finger control 42.

While I have above described the arm extension element as it might beused in supporting a light sensitive photoelectric control device, yetit also may be used to support and house other luminaire auxiliaries,such as a mercury lamp ballast for a mercury lamp luminaire, or acapacitor for power factor correction, or other control means, eithersingly or in any combination. The scope of my invention is intended toinclude the arm extension with any one or all of said auxilaries, withor without the photoelectric control element. 7 7

An important feature of the present invention is the fact that the lightsensitive control device is mounted on an arm extension element 4 whichis separate from both the luminaire-supporting arm 2 and the luminaireitself, and "said arm extension element with the light sensitive controldevice is mounted on the end of the luminairesupporting arm and isprovided with a projecting arm 13 on which the luminaire is mounted.With this construction, an ordinary luminaire that is not equipped witha light sensitive control device may be readily converted into aluminaire which has such a control device by removing the luminaire fromits supporting arm 2, mounting on the end of the luminaire-supportingarm 2 the arm extension element carrying the light sensitive controldevice, and then mounting the luminaire which was removed from the endof the luminaire-supporting arm on the projecting arm 13 of the armextension element.

I claim: 7

1. An outdoor lighting unit comprising a laterally extendingluminaire-supporting arm, a luminaire having a light source and also alaterally extending tubular support member, and an arm extension elementseparate from both the'luminaire and the luminaire supporting arm andhaving means for detachably mounting it on the end of theluminaire-supporting arm and also having a lateral projection whichsimulates the end of the luminaire-supporting arm and on which theluminaire is detachably mounted, said arm extension element having abody portion provided with an open-topped chamber, a supporting platestationarily mounted within said chamber and having an opening, a lightsensitive control device provided with a light sensitive element andhaving a portion extending through said opening, which portion isprovided with an external circumferential groove situated below saidstationary plate and a split-bowed locking ring occupying said grooveand locking the light sensitive control device to said supporting platewhile permitting said control device to be oriented by turning it aboutthe vertical axis of said opening.

2. In an oudoor lighting unit of the type having a light source, acircuit therefor, and a light sensitive control device whichautomatically closes said circuit when the daylight illumination isbelow a predetermined point and automatically opens said circuit whenthe daylight illumination is above a predetermined point, thecombination with a luminaire element having a light source and a circuittherefor, of a laterally extending luminairesupporting arm, an armextension element which is sepa rate structurally from both saidsupporting arm and the luminaire element and which has means fordetachably mounting it on the end of said supporting arm, said armextension element also having means for attaching the luminaire thereto,a light sensitive control device for said circuit, means for mountingsaid control device on said arm extension element, said arm extensionelement having a body portion provided with an open-topped chamber andthe means for mounting said light sensitive control device, whichincludes the light sensitive element, being located within said chamberin such a position that the light sensitive element projects above saidchamber, said means for mounting the light sensitive control deviceincluding a stationary plate situated within said chamber and providedwith an opening, said light sensitive control device having a supportelement resting on said stationary plate and provided with an openingwhich registers with the opening in said plate, and also having aportion which projects through both openings and which has an externalperipheral groove situated below the supporting plate, and a split-bowedlocking ring occupying said groove and locking the light sensitivecontrol device to the supporting plate while permitting said controldevice to be oriented by turning it about its vertical axis.

3. An outdoor light having a laterally extending luminaire-supportingarm, an arm extension element separate from the luminaire-supporting armand provided with a horizontal socket extension having a socket of asize to receive the end of said supporting arm, said socket extensionhaving at the open end of the socket an interior bead defining anopening having substantially the same diameter as that of the end ofsupporting arm, a clamping member carried by the socket extension andengaging the under side of the portion of the supporting arm occupyingsaid socket, an adjusting screw mounted in the top side of the socketextension at a point which is offset from the clamping member in thelengthwise direction of the socket extension, means for adjusting theclamping member in a direction radially of said socket extension wherebythe arm extension element may be leveled up by a simultaneous adjustmentof the adjusting screw and the clamping member, said arm extensionelement having a lateral projection which simulates the end portion ofthe luminaire-supporting arm, and a luminaire mounted on said lateralprojection.

4. In an outdoor lighting unit of the type having a light source, acircuit therefor, and a light sensitive control device for automaticallyclosing said circuit when the daylight illumination is below apredetermined point and automatically opening said circuit when thedaylight illumination is above a predetermined point, the combinationwith a luminaire element having a light source and a circuit therefor,of a laterally extending luminaire-supporting arm, an arm extensionelement which is separate structurally from both saidluminaire-supporting arm and the luminaire element and which has meansfor detachably mounting it on and supporting it by the end of saidluminaire-supporting arm, said arm extension element also havingluminaire supporting means on which the luminaire is detachably mountedand by which it is supported and further having a body portion providedwith an opentopped chamber, a light sensitive control device for saidcircuit, which control device includes a light sensitive element, asupport plate situated within said open-topped chamber, means mountingsaid light sensitive control device on said supporting plate for turningmovement about a vertical axis and in such a position that the lightsensitive element projects above said open-topped chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,489,076 Bjontegard Nov. 22, 1949 2,565,716 Boyce Aug. 28, 19512,666,148 Arvintz et al. Ian. 12, 1954 2,709,224 Garnick May 24, 19552,713,642 Powers et a1. July 19, 1955 2,755,392 Garnick July 17, 1956

